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Bar Cara, Bloomfield Cocktails on a quiet Thursday Night

Our cocktail quest this week took Nell and I to the popular bar and restaurant Bar Cara on Broad Street in Bloomfield. Thankfully for us, it was a quiet evening, usually the bar is packed after work. I don't enjoy noisy bars.

We had some good cocktails, wine and delicious small plates. This is Ryan DePersio, second place. His first is Fascino, which means charm if you ever wondered, in Montclair.

Started off with two cocktails, Nell had here usual extra dirty martini and I saw something on the cocktail menu I've never tried before, a Moscow Mule.

They did it right with Russian Standard Vodka and the traditional copper cup.

The drink really has no roots in Russia it was invented in the US back in the 40's when a vodka craze was sweeping the country. Some say the drink was created at the bar in New York's Chatham Hotel, others claim It was first served at the Cock 'n' Bull restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and was popular with celebrities in the 50's. Don't know why, it was served in a copper cup.

It is 2 parts vodka, 1 part lime juice, 3 parts ginger beer and served on the rocks. We also enjoyed some delicious small plates. The first the crudo di pesce of the day which was finely sliced raw fluke with fine olive oil and lime juice, jicama, radish and jalapeno peppers, served on a slate slab. Very nice.

For our second round I had a favorite Italian white wine, Librandi Ciro Bianco, I really like this Calabrian producer, and this 100% Greco Bianco wine.

It went nicely with the a favorite Bar Cara dish Polenta Fritta which is mascarpone polenta fries, warm gorgonzola dipping sauce and Vongole Oreganata, clams oreganata which were very nicely done, but the clams were not completely fresh.

My only complaint was the service, but I am learning to tolerate that in New Jersey. With an empty dining room and a half full bar the staff was barely attentive. Luckily the food and drinks were great.